11 Reasons to Work Out (Beyond the Perfect Body)

Let’s face it: While you know hitting the gym is good for you, sometimes your workout motivation plateaus. Whether you’re new to fitness or have been at it for years, dreaming of six-pack abs won’t power you through your workouts forever.

The Confidence Booster
Working out adds to your confidence levels in your everyday life.

The Mental Strength
When you work out, you flex more than just your physical muscles. You learn so much about yourself, about discipline, about pushing your limits and about your capabilities when you train and these traits are very easily carried over to life’s daily challenges.

The Anti-Aging Effect
Want to feel younger than your years? It’s never too late to stop that clock.

The Mental Release
Exercise clears the mind of past and future stress and helps you focus more on the here and now.

The Me Time
Sometimes it’s not a bad thing to be selfish. When you take care of yourself, you can handle the challenges that your day throws at you.

The Power to Inspire Others
It inspires your family, friends and peers to work hard when they see you do the same.

The Love of Sweat
Admit it: Sometimes there’s nothing better than working hard and getting sweaty.

The Habit
After a month or so it will feel weird not to go to the gym.

The Ability to Say ‘Yes’ to Adventure
Without a strong foundation of health, fitness and wellness, the ability to do the things we want most in life becomes more and more difficult.

The Joy Factor
It doesn’t matter if you’re sad, tired, angry, uninspired. When you walk away from a workout you’re a different person.

The Results, Baby!
There’s nothing quite like seeing the results of hard work in the gym. It’s a rewarding feeling to know your work yields actual, tangible results.

Bill Pec is a personal trainer located in Portland, Oregon. He offers one-on-one exclusive personal training out of his fully equipped studio.